Saronic Gulf Islands

The Saronic Gulf Islands, also called the Argo-Saronic Islands, are an easy day trip from Athens, although any one of them would be worth a longer vacation too. There are four main islands, plus Salamina, the island closest to Athens and almost a suburb. It's not one that many visitors choose to visit for a holiday.

Aegina TownAegina Town in the Saronic Gulf Islands

The four main islands, starting closest to Athens, are Aegina (or Egina), Poros, Hydra (or Idra or Ydhra) and finally Spetses, sometimes also called Spetsai. They're all rather different in style, with Aegina having the spectacular Temple of Aphaea, Hydra being tiny and traffic-free, Poros green and very close to the Peloponnese mainland, and Spetses being rather stylish and with Spetses Town being the biggest town in this Saronic group.

Man Selling Octopus on PorosSelling Octopus on Poros

Aegina is very popular with Athenians wanting to get away for the weekend, so if you can avoid the weekend there are usually plenty of hotels to choose from, and some good restaurants to dine at.

Poros attracts European holidaymakers as well as Athenian day-trippers, while Hydra has always had more of a Bohemian feel and attracted musicians and artists like Leonard Cohen, various Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. It's still a laid-back place with some stylish hotels and fine dining restaurants.

Spetses has a few good beaches but they're harder to get to and so it has never really developed as a big holiday hotspot: a good choice, then, if you don't like holiday hotspots!

Any of the islands is a good choice, though, and if you are planning to visit on a day-trip from Athens, there are fast ferries from Piraeus. The furthest island, Spetses, takes about 2 hrs 30 mins on a hydrofoil, while Aegina is less than an hour away.

Click on the photos or names below to take you straight to the relevant page for each of the Saronic Gulf Islands.

Salamina
Salamina is just a few minutes by ferry from Piraeus, but few overseas visitors bother to go there. It is a popular commuting island for working Athenians, with Salamina Town almost being an island suburb of Athens. It is not the prettiest of islands, but the fact that it is almost completely bypassed by visitors makes it worth seeing. There are a few small villages dotted around the coast, with the main resort being Selinia. 

Latest Posts

RSS

  1. Greece Looking to Open to Travelers from the United States

    The United States is one of the markets that Greece is eyeing to form a travel arrangement that will open up tourism between the two countries this year.

    Read More

  2. Restaurants in Greece Expected to Re-open for Outdoor Service After Easter

    Restaurants and other food and beverage (F&B) establishments in Greece will most likely be allowed to re-open and serve customers initially outdoors after the Easter holiday, Greek Deputy Development…

    Read More

  3. Norwegian Cruise Line to Sail the Greek Islands in July

    Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. is planning to restart operations this summer with sailings to the Caribbean and the Greek islands.

    Read More

  4. Greeks and Tourists will Abide by Same Covid-19 Rules, Says Tourism Minister

    Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis on Monday clarified that any safety and health rules that apply to Greek citizens – such as mandatory mask wearing and social distancing – will also apply to tourists…

    Read More

  5. Celestyal Getting Ready to Offer Safe Cruise Experiences from May

    Celestyal Cruises is speeding up procedures for the restart of sailings on May 29, aiming to provide its guests with carefree holidays to the Greek islands and the Eastern Mediterranean.

    Read More

  6. Greece will Open for Tourism with ‘Five Lines of Defence’ Against Covid-19

    Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis said Greece has set up five lines of defence against the coronavirus (Covid-19) in order to open for tourism safely this year.

    Read More

  7. Greece Unsure About Easing Lockdown Measures for Easter

    Greek Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Akis Skertsos on Monday told SKAI radio that it is “too soon” to discuss if lockdown restrictions would be eased in Greece in time for the Easter holiday. T…

    Read More

  8. Piraeus Port Authority to Create New Park, Bike Lane

    The Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) has announced plans to undertake the construction of a new playground and a bicycle lane at the port of Piraeus.

    Read More

  9. Culture Ministry: Summer Operating Hours for Archaeological Sites, Museums

    The Ministry of Culture has announced the summer operating hours of archaeological sites and museums across Greece. According to a ministry announcement, the opening hours of archaeological sites, mon…

    Read More

  10. The Guardian Selects 10 Crowd-free Greek Islands and Coastlines

    The Guardian recently announced its selection of 10 crowd-free Greek islands and coastlines that can offer travelers “a taste of true Greek culture”. According to the British newspaper, with the end o…

    Read More